::taking a figurative hammer and hitting the holiday project:: Get! Into! Shape!
I should do that to myself. I haven’t worked out in 2 weeks. I haven’t walked either. It is super crappy. It’s like Portland, Oregon weather over here, grey and dull and depressing.
We mostly have two seasons: awful heat and gloom. We are in the gloom phase. At least when there is snow on the ground, it helps. There is no snow. There is no cold. We have windrows open and I’m wearing bike shorts.
Bleah.
However! Mod R sent me a holiday parcel and there was Fortnum and Mason Holiday Tea in it. I’m drinking it right now. Yes, I opened a Christmas present early. Leave me alone, it’s been a hard couple of weeks.
I am supposed to report on the condition of the stained cutting board.
You probably can’t see it in the pic, because the light isn’t great, but it’s still stained in the top right corner. After trying anything and everything, I was going to throw it away, but it’s my battle buddy. I kept it.
Somebody asked about the cranberry sauce recipe. It’s basic and no big whoop. 1 lb of cranberries, washed, 1/4 cup apple juice, 1/4 cup orange juice, grate a bit of zest in there, and add about 1/2 cup of sugar and a splash of honey. I’m trying to watch my sugar intake, so this sauce is a bit more sour. If you want to sweeten it, increase sugar to 1 cup. Bring everything except cranberries to boil, cook until stuff has dissolved and formed a uniform solution, add cranberries, turn the heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes. Don’t cook longer than that or it won’t gel.
Now for Christmas, I stick frozen cherries and blue berries in there, increase everything a little bit to account for additional berries, and serve that.
Well, I am going to vacate the premises, because Mod R has actual substantial post and updates to go. Also, I am supposed to remind you to please haunt the blog during the week of 16th, when the Innkeeper releases. We have stuff we want to show you, and we don’t want you to miss it. Stay tuned.
Mmmm! I hear you on the projects. Mine just keep coming, and they are paperworky, bureaucratic un-fun. So yes, I ping the blog multiple times throughout the day.
We’ve actually got rain and cold to go with our gloom, punctuated by blue sky intermissions. Such a relief after relentless drought and sun over the past few years.
Got my Christmas tree today and sent off gift cards to son’s school. Relaxing with Republic of Tea’s Downton Abbey Premium English Rose tea. Hot or cold, it’s sovereign.
Looking forward to book release and other HA treats – thank you!
“Haunt the blog the week of the 16th…” And that is different from my regular haunting of the blog how? ????????
It has also been gray and depressing here in NC for the past few days. Sigh. but we are at least a little chilly.
I have been burning beeswax candles and enjoying the chilly… though both the gloom and the cold must make being in Moore County, where so many don’t have power right now, extra uncomfortable. (I’m in Chatham.)
oh House Andrews, you are too. Haunt the blog, more than we already do? Is that possible?
Don’t beat yourself up there is a time for everything.
Temperatures are warming up in my part of the world Queensland.
Yummmm, tea. I grew up in Australia before coffee became the beverage of choice – I think per capita Australians consume more coffee than anywhere else in the world.
My first tea drink was at 6 months old, when I drank the dregs from my mum’s cup (poor mum couldn’t even drink tea in peace).
In our house it was black tea brewed in a pot with tea leaves in the cup. Breakfast – boil the kettle, make a pot. Morning tea – boil the kettle, make a pot. Lunch – boil the kettle, make a pot. Visitors – boil the kettle, make a pot. Always make the assumption that visitors want tea and cake.
These days I love a good chai but I pair it with T2’s Irish breakfast ’cause I still love a good strong cup of tea – loose leaf and brewed in a pot of course.
Sorry for the gray weather. Even in winter, Sydney is usually sunny with vivid blue skies – but today is lovely with highs of 31 degrees C – yes I know, I’m skiting.
Thanks for all the lovely early christmas presents arriving next week, plus the receipt for the cranberry sauce. Will definitely try that out with the turkey this year.
Thank you so much for answering about the cutting board! ???? I was really wondering and I’m glad you kept it. Battle scars are worthy scars indeed.
I think you were wise to indulge in the tea early. I’m sure you need it pre-release week! If I thought there might be tea inside a present that I got in the mail, I don’t think I could’ve waited either. ????
I am trapped in the snow and cold so I envy your rain…and your F&M parcel.
Wishing for happy holidays for all of us.
You never need to tell the BDH to haunt the blog as we are known to refresh multiple times a day… okay maybe that’s just me. ????
Enjoy your tea and may your holiday project behave!
Fortum and Mason is the best, but hard to get Stateside, especially loose. Williams Sonoma has a few selections, but less every year. I hear London calling.
Try a little Cointreau in your cranberries. Adds a nice flavor, makes it special. Gels less, but lovely.
I hate gloomy weather so I moved to Denver.
We have four seasons: sunny and hot with cool nights, sunny and mild with cold nights, sunny and cold, and then cold/mild/hot/freezing/hot totally at random and changing everyday, but still sunny.
I have a cutting board. it is large enough to put my largest frying pan on and cut a head of cabbage on with no cabbage getting off the board. I have had it for years. It gets slightly warped. I flip it over. It gets stained, I clean it with lemon juice. I got a scotch from a hot pan. That side is down when company is over. My sons find it amusing. They should the eldest is responsible for the scorch. It has history. It still works great.
So…now we are the HBDH? The Haunting Book Devouring Horde??
REMIND us to haunt the blog! Who do you think you’re talking to, Ilona? LOL! Don’t you know that we track you like wolves after wounded deer?
Sorry, that sounded way less creepy in my head!
It is nearly five in the morning here. I got up to use the bathroom and discovered I don’t feel incredibly crappy for the first time in days (the cough is still annoying, though) and I realized there are (gasp) posts on the blog I haven’t read. Well, sleep can wait for a few minutes as I go to remedy that!
The BDH won’t ever let you be lonely. I’m talking only ONLINE stalking though.
Seasonal depression is a thing. Make sure you care for yourself when you are looking after everyone else.
Love your books!
As for the cutting board, refinish it.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a20705882/restore-wooden-cutting-board/
Very easy to do and it’ll look brand new.
Good luck.